ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA -- This is a post about Wells Fargo Bank... and my experience and opinions about how they are NOT helping me prevent fraud on my account. I have to admit that I am just amazed that I can NOT get better customer service from Wells Fargo.

Here's is my story. I live in the Midwest for a while. I chose Wells Fargo as my bank. But, I moved to the East Coast in December, where there are no Wells Fargo Banks. I went into my local Wells Fargo Bank in St. Paul, Minnesota (at the corner of Grand and Fairview avenues) to close ALL ACCOUNTS. I met with a personal banker who explained to me my options for taking my money. I chose to transfer money to another banks account. He quickly worked at the computer to handle my accounts. He assured me everything was taken care of.

Well.... here's the real fraud/scam. One month and 3 days later, I received an email from Wells Fargo telling my my accounts have an overdraft. LOL I really thought the email was a fraud. After checking more, it was not. Wells Fargo DID NOT CLOSE MY ACCOUNTS AS I HAD REQUESTED. They did transfer my money... so they know I was in the bank that day. The ALSO ALLOWED this charge on an account that was at a zero balance and supposed to be closed.

I called customer service. THAT WAS A DISASTER. The first representative said she couldn't help me because I didn't have my account or check card number (well my check card was supposed to have been destroyed by the banker in St. Paul... that same card that was apparently used for the charge in January). I explained to her that I had no card... and I started digging through personal files for an account number for an account I closed on Dec 12. After explaining my situation, I was met with no real help. I was told I could dispute the charges. Fine. It was as if they representative thought I was telling a lie about closing the account. By the way... who zeros both checking and savings in one bank visit but keeps the accounts open? It's not logical. She was firm... there was nothing she could do. I asked for her supervisor who got on phone with the pre-determined attitude that I was wrong. I explained my situation. He was dismissive. I grew frustrated as a consumer who feels Wells Fargo would do nothing to freeze this account so as ti stop any other fraudulent charges. There was nothing he could do. It was as if he were reading a script only (I know that's what they do). But... c'mon. Think. Listen to the consumer. As a customer who left Wells Fargo, they should WANT ME BACK instead of treating my like I was a liar when calling to report fraud. THIS EXPERIENCE WITH WELLS FARGO IS THE SINGLE WORST BANKING EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD. I asked him for his supervisors name/number as well as the manager's name/number for the bank on Grand & Fairview avenues in St. Paul, MN. He was clearly dismissive and angry.... that he was having to deal with a frustrated consumer worried about fraud on his account.

I have called every number I can find. I have emailed Wells Fargo. I have no answers. I have no support from Wells Fargo to stop this fraudulent activity. As a consumer, I feel like Wells Fargo is allowing fraud on my account by not freezing it.... and treating me as if I am the bad guy. I WAS THE ONE WHO CLOSED MY ACCOUNTS (or was told by a personal banker it was) IN ST. PAUL. I asked the supervisor for email and phone number of where I could file a complaint with Wells Fargo. He said there was only a mailing address. In this internet era, Wells Fargo only has a mailing address for complaints? LOL. That's customer service for you. "We want your money... we just don't want to hear when you are unhappy with our customer service."

MESSAGE TO WELLS FARGO: Please CLOSE all of my accounts as YOUR banker told me was done on Dec 12 in St. Paul. Please don't allow someone... or some company to continue to fraudulently charge to my accounts! PLEASE HELP. If you ever wanted me back as a customer, this is NOT the way to do it! I just want my accounts closed as your bank said he did on Dec. 12.

MESSAGE TO MEDIA OUTLETS: If you want to contact take me about being a part of any story about Wells Fargo... especially if it's a bad customer service or fraud issue, please email me at Jefftracker@gmail.com.

[snip - full names prohibited]

Here is the 'mailing address' that Mark provided to me for complaints (the ONLY WAY to register a complaint about customer service to Wells Fargo
PO Box 6995
Portland, OR 97228-6995

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False Foreclosure

Posted by wellsfraud2 on 01/26/2008

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- Recently I read an article about Wells holding a check for processing and then proceeding to enact a forclosure because of no payment. The call in that article was for a class action suit against Wells Fargo, and should an attorney take that call, I want to be on board.

Not only does Wells Fargo have the worst customer service in the financial industry in my opinion, the mortgage department is particularly contemptible. The mortgage department is in an office on the East Coast, one is never able to speak to the same person twice, and everyone has a different answer for the same question.

I've lived in my home for ten years. In 2006, due to extenuating circumstances (a death in the family, a disability, job change) I fell behind in my mortgage. I contacted Wells Mortgage Dept. (one can't go in to a local Wells Fargo and sit down and speak with someone) and told the rep of my difficult situation. I was told by the Wells rep that they would put me on an extension, NOT to pay anything for a month, and then pay $50 more on my payment on a date the rep specified. I understood that the payment would go on the end of the loan and my payment would go up by a small amount.

When I changed jobs and got a raise in pay, I again called Wells Fargo, because my paydates had changed and I wanted to pay my mortgage on a different date than was specified. Wells Fargo said, "don't pay anything for another month, then pay $20 more on this date." I missed that date by one day because of my payroll(I was new and didn't know that payroll would fall two days after a holiday). I went in to a Wells Fargo to pay my mortgage payment and they refused to take it because they said my home was in foreclosure. I had no idea. The local Wells office called the Wells mortgage department in Minnesota or wherever..they were just closing, (we waited like I always have for 30 minutes or more,) and the mortgage department said there was nothing that they could do, that they were closing for the day. Twice I'd been told NOT to pay until a certain date, and I foolishly did that, not knowing that they were adding interest and late charges to my mortgage payment to the tune of over $8000.

My complaint is that Wells Fargo didn't provide full disclosure, that the time I spent on the phone attempting to get answers and resolution equated to a two week paid vacation, and that I was inaccurately, in my opinion,charged $8,000+ which is what Wells determined I owed on late mortgage payments.

On my part, I truly didn't understand what Wells had been proposing, or I never would have waited to make my payments. I have a good job and could have made the payments on time. I thought Wells was re-writng the loan agreement, putting the one month I was late on the end of the term, and simply raising the payment I contacted the OCC (Office of Currency Controller) and the State Attorney General office of Wa. with a complaint about Wells Fargo and their practices to no avail. I also wrote to the President of Wells Fargo and got no response. It takes an enormous amount of energy and time to fight a corporation like Wells Fargo. If an attorney or Senator contacted Wells perhaps they would take notice, but not a complaint from a homeowner.

As we watch other large banks and mortgage companies sustain losses,(Washington Mutual and Countrywide for example)I can only hope that an attorney will eventually take a look at the countless complaints against Wells Fargo and do something about the ineptitude, poor customer service and misleading practices that in certain cases are causing unnecessary forclosesures and banruptcies.

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My attorney says "illegal foreclosure"

Posted by wellsfargofraud on 01/21/2008

Desperately seeking class action lawsuit.

I was assisting my niece, who is recently divorced, going back to school to get a teaching degree and raising two children. She was 40-50 days late with her mortgage payment on a house that I co-owned with her. She spoke with someone there and immediately sent the requested amount to get the account up to date. Unbeknown to her, the check was in the process of being held by WF for 2 and a half weeks, mailed back with a postmark of December 24th (Merry Christmas Lady!!) telling her that because the funds were not certified the house was in foreclosure. She received the letter from them after I became involved when my banker contacted me about a credit rating drop. After being notified by the back (and still not knowing that they were in the process of returning the check as it had not arrived in the mail) I promptly called Wells Fargo and was told that she was a little late and that a check was sent and everything was now fine. I requested the ability to view the account on-line, promptly went to the computer and was unable to access the account. I called WF back within 12 hours or the "everything is fine" conversation only to be told the house was in foreclosure. Over the next few days my conversations with Wells Fargo were so bizarre that I felt the need to contact an attorney.

I became diligent over the next few days to make sure that everything was happening as it should and the house is not longer in foreclosure. I have retaliated against WF by paying off my personal mortgage after their possessing it for only 3 months and therefore depriving them of interest from me. I know that others are not in a position to do this.
My concerns are that:

WF appears to want to cause foreclosure,
WF appears to be deceptive: the check sent by my niece was never sent to her bank and I have verified that she had the funds in her account. Why would a company send back a perfectly good check, (and on Christmas Eve, thus further delay my niece finding out that the check was not accepted.)and simultaneously turn someone over. Former presidents of banks have told me this sounds like a setup.

Word of advice:

1) if a Wells Fargo Rep tells you "everything will be fine" BEWARE and double check by re-calling the 1-800 number to be sure that you are being given consistent information.
2) IF they tell you to send a check, ask them what kind. They do not volunteer that information and appear to use it against you.
3) try to check what they are telling you by phone on the account on the internet.
4) If you are in a co-owner situation and speak to a rep that trashes the other owner, the information that you are being given is not necessarily true. I was told my niece had ignored multiple attempts by them to contact her when obviously she had been speaking to someone and was taking steps to correct the problem.
5) Follow up, follow up, follow up. I strongly advise against being complacent after being told to "check back in a few weeks". You will be bit in the process.
Why would a company want to foreclose? Well in this case the house was practically paid for, and, what about those extra fees? One of the WF reps even said to her "the lawyers love these foreclosures because they make so much money".

I work in an office with only 13 employees and 4 of us have had our credit damaged because of WF tactics. The others have had no dealings with WF.

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I Want My Money!!

Posted by Hobloy on 03/09/2006

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- After losing my job in the summer of 2005 I really had no money and wasn't able to keep a substantial amount of money in my Bank of America checking account. After a few months of stress and literally eating whatever my friends and family could provide me, I found the job of my dreams and a new place to live. Just up the street from my new place is a Wells Fargo bank and with the little bit of money that I was able to get before my new job started I opened a new account. I was happy and things seemed to be okay.

In the next month or so my wallet was stolen and Wells Fargo was on the ball. If it weren't for them constantly calling my phone number I never would have known that my debit card was being used by some loser.

Things changed a few weeks later when I tried to use my card to order a pizza online but could not. I knew there was money in the account and I knew that my card was okay to use. But I didn't know that my account had been blocked because I owed money to Bank of America. Since I hadn't been using that account it seems fees were being added and I did not know that opening a new account at another bank would cause a later problem. My mistake.

In the meantime every dime I had made at work or any refunds from taxes were all being direct deposited into my new Wells Fargo account. So, to pay Bank of America I needed to get cash from the Wells Fargo account. But I couldn't. They blocked the account and for the past 3 weeks I haven't been able to pay Bank of America nor do I have any money for myself. My cell phone has been cut off, can't pay...My rent is late...can't pay...Had to borrow money to put gas in my car...can't use my debit card.

NO matter how many times I called, no matter how many times I'd talk to someone on the phone, I can't and still haven't been able to get any money. I've waited on hold for more than thirty minutes and I was even hung up on tonight after telling Wells Fargo that I would be calling the BBB and I wanted my money before another weekend went by. She called me "abusive" although I never raised my voice nor used profanity.

She told me my account would close on Friday although I was told that my account would close at the beginning of the week on Monday and that I'd get a check in the mail...no check in the mail this week and my account is still open with almost $800 just sitting there. Am I ever going to get my money? Am I ever going to get to pay Bank of America? What do I have to do to get my money?? I am at my wit's end. Why won't this bank give me my money???

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Harassing phone calls when payments are not late

Posted by ccsea on 08/26/2007

WASHINGTON -- We are on the last payment of a 5-year car loan with Wells Fargo, the eighth car we have purchased and paid off in our adulthood, and we will never do any kind of business with Wells Fargo again because of the way we have been treated. The payment terms state there is a grace period between the payment "due date" and the time it becomes "late." We have taken advantage of that grace period when needed because of our paycheck schedule. For at least the past year, starting on the very first day of the "grace period," our phone has rung multiple times with someone from Wells Fargo hounding us, from early morning until late night. Right now, when we are days away from paying our FINAL PAYMENT, ON TIME, the phone calls have begun again.

This is no way to treat a good customer, and as a result we have already made sure that we do no other business with Wells Fargo, and that everyone we know hears this reason to stay away.

I wrote a check of $330.04 and clearly indicated its date as 02/28/2007. My account was in a position to cover it only at the posted date, but Wells Fargo honored the check on 02/12/2007, two weeks earlier than the posted date. This resulted in my account to be charged $141.00 in a period of 4 days. It is my impression that Wells Fargo upon being represented a check either automatically or as hard copy has to verify the amount, date, and name it is written to. I believe these are some of the red flags that have to reviewed in fighting fraud. The Wells Fargo response below shows that its automated means that it relies on does not capture a check dated year 2005 or 2007 even if we are in March 2005; thus putting customers at greater risks.

G. T.
---------------------------------------------------

Below is the Well Fargo Bank Response:

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the processing of post-dated or stale-dated checks. In general, banks process checks by automated means, relying upon check information contained in magnetically encoded information found at the bottom of the check - MICR. The check date is not part of the MICR encoded information. As a result, a bank will pay or return a check without regard to the date written on the check.

As discussed in the Consumer Account Agreement, a "stop payment order" is used if you do not want a check paid or to give the bank notice of a post-dated check. To be effective, a stop payment order must be received by the bank in a time and manner that gives the bank a reasonable opportunity to act on it. A stop payment order is valid for six 6 months and must be renewed if you do not want the stop payment order to expire. Each renewal will be treated as a new stop payment order. For post-dated checks, it is your obligation to remove the stop-payment order once the check is no longer post-dated. The normal Stop Payment Fee will apply to each order.

Thank you for banking with Wells Fargo.

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terrible mortgage business

Posted by mediterrenean on 12/02/2005

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- Here is a story about how badly Wells Fargo mortgage business sucks. I closed on my new home in 2005. I had told Wells Fargo that I would close on that day weeks ago and guess what? They called me only 36 hours before closing to bring me the good news. Although Wells Fargo customer service had told me it was a 100% financing option, I was asked to bring in 3% of my own funds to the closing which amounts close to $9K. I had e-mailed my loan manager Jonathan Drankwalter multiple times, left messages in his answering machine and he NEVER responded.
I complained about the misinformation and somehow Wells Fargo manager Matt O'Leary made some changes to the closing statement calculations 5 PM the daya before closing. (It is a very complicated formula by the way the way they calculate the exact amount you would need)
A day of scrambling to get the funds and here we are in the title company's office. I told the title company about the 3% thing and they were like 'Oh,we do not know nothing about that. This is what we have from Wells Fargo". Happily I sign the paperwork and then get a call from Title company. Wells Fargo has declined to fork over the money to the seller. Why? I have not met the 3% requirement. Remember that everything was based on their numbers. They deny their own calculations. The manager who handled the loan said it was just some clerical error. Oh, I forgot to say that I had to leave work and drive 90 minutes to a suburb of Chicago to resign the paperwork. After venting to the manager Matt, he reluctantly agrees to pay me $500 for my troubles. He promised to send the check within the next 6 weeks. I called Matt three more times after 6 weeks. His first excuse was "My supervisor changed. I had requested the check. I will look into it again and it should arrive shortly". 2 weeks passed. Still no check! I called him up on Nov 30, 2005. His second excuse on the phone is : " I do not know where it is" I insist that he trace it and call me back. During our conversation I expressed my frustration with him and he had the guts to tell me " I went above and beyond by agreeing to pay you $500". Now, that is suggesting I should just sit on my a@@ and stop complaining. He insists that it is coming in his terms 'SOON'. How soon? He does not know. Then I ask to speak to his manager and he refuses to connect me to her.
In his terms " The issue is not worth escalating at this point". Sure, he is afraid of his ass being on the line. My girlfriend later called Matt's manager Givonn and she promised to look out for my check. Later the same day Givonn rung me up and apologized. She also told me that a check had never been requested. Hmm, would that mean Matt sat on it and was lying to me?
I am still waiting with misty eyes the day I can touch that elusive peanut money for Wells Fargo.
My suggestion, do not ever do mortgage business with them until they clean their act

I wrote to Wells Fargo in early March complaining about the processing order of check and electronic items with your bank. Further, I complained about the way ALL electronic POS transactions are debited, credited and then debited from the accounts.

Your letter April 2, 2002 did not address any of these issues my previous letter raised. This has been a recurring problem in dealing with your bank. Nobody has understood the basis of my complaint from the first attempt.

Evidently nobody over there has a grasp on the banking business, or perhaps I explained them poorly, let me try to explain this for you again.

For example, let’s say on January 3st at 8am my account balance was $100.00 and I had no outstanding checks or other debits waiting processing. Then, I used my card at Exxon for $10.00. If I went home and checked my account balance with online banking, I would notice a ‘pending item’ for $10 and my new available balance would be $90.00.

The next day, on January 4th, when I checked my balance online again, it would be $100.00. The ‘pending item’ disappears. Then, on January 5th or 6th, the debit of $10.00 would be processed as received from the merchant against my account and the balance would revert back to $90.00. This yo-yo account balance game must trap many consumers in overdraft situations; particularly those in low and fixed income situations who can ill afford your exorbitant fees and accounting games.

I took a moment to read your Consumer Account Agreement that you graciously sent me with your previous letter. I would like to draw your attention to page 40, specifically addressing POS transactions. There it points out that Wells Fargo will place a hold on funds equivalent to the anticipated and approved amount of the purchase at the time the card is authorized. Your terms further disclose that hold will stay in place until such time as the final amount is processed from the merchant.

Wells Fargo is not doing that. You are blatantly ignoring your own Consumer Account Agreement Terms. This is the substance of my complaint. As I stated in my previous letter, I believe Wells Fargo is doing this to catch consumers unaware in overdraft situations and then collect outrageous fees and overdraft charges as a result.

Further, I noticed on my final account statement which came approximately five weeks after I sent my letter of complaint, Wells Fargo felt it necessary to include a disclaimer at the top of statements for ALL account holders explaining some ‘change’ in the way you handle electronic and POS transactions. Certainly that seems extremely suspicious to me.

I am now demanding Wells Fargo to reverse all bank charges accrued on my account as a result of these fraudulent tactics on your part. That would negate the balance of $286.50 you claim I owe you and leave my account with a credit balance of approximate the same, $285. You may mail the check to the address below.

Wells Fargo is participating in fraudulent corporate activity and your refusal to refund my money and delete these specious bank charges is utterly inexcusable. I am shocked and appalled at the corporate gall Wells Fargo continues to display in the face of ignoring banking policies spelled out in an official Wells Fargo account terms disclosure.

I would love to discuss this with your directly, but neither of the phone numbers you included in your letter were able to put me through to your office

If you have even a shred of decency or respect for your customers upon whose money your salary is made, I suggest you call me personally to explain how I am misunderstanding your corporate greed.

Yours in complete and utter disgust,

John Knox
26 Arthur Street
Moncton, NB CANADA
E1C 9Y1

(506) 863-6247

At the very least I would like a response from your company regarding this incident. Thank you for your time.

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Reverse Mortgage Loan Closing Delay

Posted by Verne on 12/18/2008

NEWPORT, NORTH CAROLINA -- This is an admonition to anyone shopping for a Reverse Mortgage Loan (RML) lender to think twice before using Wells Fargo bankâ€™s mortgage services. My current experience with them is bringing back unpleasant memories of an earlier experience with Financial Freedom, which was the arm of Indy Mac bank that specialized in RMLs.

On November 4, 2008 I sat down with the Wells Fargoâ€™s Reverse Mortgage Loan (RML) agent at my home in eastern North Carolina and initiated a new RML. This new RML was to refinance a RML that I had gotten over one year earler through Financial Freedom. Since closing delays had made the experience with Financial Freedom very frustrating (12 weeks and one day), I specifically asked the Wells Fargo agent what I could expect the elapsed time to be for their closing date, and was proudly told that Wells Fargo had a policy of closing in 30 days or less.

Forty-four days have elapsed as of today (12/18/2008), and I have not been able to get Wells Fargo to even set a closing date. I call their regional representative, she says she will check on the status of my closing and call me back, but she usually does not call back. When she does call back, it is to tell me that they are understaffed and overworked (who isnâ€™t?), and that a supervisor will call â€ślater todayâ€ť. She has stated that all the documentation is in place, but that the processing hasnâ€™t been completed.

Since Christmas is only eight days away I am growing increasingly frustrated, and I am expecting Wells Fargo to use the holidays as an excuse to set the closing for the last week of this year or the first week of 2009. If so, my experience with Wells Fargoâ€™s closing will far exceed their assurance of â€ś30 days or lessâ€ť, and may end up being very much like my experience with Indy-Mac/Financial-Freedom.

My RML with Indy-Mac/Financial-Freedom finally closed on May 31, 2007, and the FDIC took over Indy Mac less than two months later in July. The agent that took my recent RML application said several times that Wells Fargo was financially sound, but the guy with Indy-Mac/Financial-Freedom said much the same thing. Now I am wondering if an inordinate delay in setting a closing date is a sign that a bank is short on funding and about to fail.

Does anyone have any inside information on this? Should I cut my losses with Wells Fargo and go with another lender? If anyone knows anything, please clue me in.

UPDATE: Wells-Fargo finally set the closing for the afternoon of Christmas Eve, seven weeks after the RML was initiated. Receipt of the proceeds was also delayed (by the Christmas holidays) but was completed on New Year's Eve, making the entire process span eight weeks and one day.

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Wells Fargo Screwed Up My Wire Transfer

Posted by manojtraju on 10/16/2008

EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA -- They say something while you were doing wire transfer and lie about it from top down. I was doing an international transfer and the first banker doesn't even know how to convert currency if he has a converting factor. (If 1 dollar = y of other currency how many does does x dollars cost make in other currency). Believe me this he took 10 minutes to figure out. Then he screwed up the process and it was cancelled (which by the way I had to follow up and check as they did not say a word about it). I again had to go the other day.

Again the wire is cancelled as the internal process did not agree with the conversion rate they put in. So it was changed and sent again on the third day, which they promised would go the next day and take at the maximum of 48 hours. It did not. SO when I ask the manager says the person who sent the wire is not in office and they would not have said 48 hours. I waited for 4 days and again the manager said she confirmed with her staff and apparently they did not tell me 48 hrs and I got confused. I was told 5 to 10 days.

So I waited and then they say it wasn't sent on the day they said it was but 3 days later due to some holiday on receiving end and I was given an option to cancel which takes 5 days to get my money back). So I go the next day and ask why the delay and give my money back. Now I am told that the staff apparently explained me two methods of sending money and I opted for some reason the one that takes very very long time (even though I chose wells fargo to my 3 day delivery regular method just for the reason of money being delivered in 48 hrs). And the highlight for today is they will not be able to give my money back and have to wait as long as it takes and as a consolation gave a 20 dollars put in to my account.